A Ledger Blog

Ian Nance gets to hunt and then write about it

I finished writing an article last week about Florida’s Limited-Entry hunting programs. During the midst of research, I was reminded again that the Sunshine State does have an abundance of public lands. As I point out, however, not all of it is created equal, thus necessitating Quota and Special Opportunity Hunts. Sadly, the period to apply for those for Spring Gobbler is over. Sure, you can take a stab at obtaining a reissued permit, but the Powerball-level chances of striking… Read More »

A Florida Spring Turkey Season that started so easily eventually tumbled into the usual frustration we amateurs have come to know and endure when chasing Florida’s turkeys. Six days of hunting at Homosassa WMA over the course of two weeks. Each week I’d locate a gobbler going bonkers, adjust for the next morning and somehow end up further away. Not a one I could claim gobbled on the ground. The swamp birds there are like grouper hanging over a wreck… Read More »

Turkey hunt long enough and you’ll run into predators. Being Spring and making turkey-like noises, it’s a cinch to have a coyote or bobcat or fox come snooping. Decoys are sometimes even attacked. While these incidents are always thrilling, hunters in South Florida are increasingly having run-ins with larger hungry critters. It’s been eleven years since I hunted turkeys in traditional panther territory on private land in SW Florida. Sadly, I never spotted one, but others in camp told fire-side… Read More »

For several reasons, the Osceola subspecies of the wild turkey is a tough bird to hunt. Their range is limited, so the land on which to hunt them is at a premium, especially with folks travelling from far and wide to complete their Turkey Slam. They have a reputation for being relatively call-shy. And, Florida’s diverse landscape throws a variety of woodsmanship challenges at the well-meaning hunter. Every Spring around this time I receive e-mails regarding how and where to… Read More »

I wish there was a jakes category – and I mean “jakes” a young gobbler, not “JAKES” the youth branch of NWTF – as I might stand a chance of winning this. The Florida State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation is hosting the 2nd Annual Osceola Invitational, a one-hunt tournament to see who pops the biggest Osceola. From NWTF: The Osceola Invitational is a two-man team competition Osceola turkey hunt fundraiser. Proceeds benefit Youth Hunting in Florida and… Read More »

In mid-September, a jake Osceola, three of his brothers and a few sisters power-walked by my stand in the sweaty afternoon. The young flock had become a familiar crew on the trail camera, ritually wandering in the late mornings from their roosts through the scrub before hitting the cow pasture and orange groves to feed. In the afternoons, they’d return down the same path to fly-up on adjoining property. It was clockwork turkey behavior for birds that hadn’t received any… Read More »

The rain was no surprise – hell, it seemed to pour on every other hunt this turkey season. At this point, it was laughable, and the mirthful radar displayed waves of yellow and red rolling in from the southwest straight into the Big Bend. The property of scrub and planted pines and cypress heads in Rosewood I hunted the last weekend of Florida’s Spring Turkey was more of a bog. Without any major creek systems or ditches to move water… Read More »

Florida’s 2014 Spring Turkey Season ends this Sunday, April 20th, and I don’t feel so great. After my Opening Weekend miss, the balance of my Spring has been bad luck with the weather and a comedy of misfortune when given a chance with the trigger. I’ve had action, but the results have been frustrating, if not pure painful. There was the jobbler – half jake/half gobbler – that let out a mercy-gobble in the block of pines I was hunting… Read More »

For me, being a magazine model has long been, let’s just call it, Manifest Destiny. One night at a bar when I lived in Gainesville, a girl walked up and handed me a business card for a modeling company with a phone number and instructions written on the back to call later in the week at a designated time. My buddies figured it was a joke or prostitution ploy that she gave to everybody, to which I rightly pointed out… Read More »

With my apologies to the deer and duck hunting tribes, Spring Turkey is the most wonderful time of the year. Over the last few weeks I’ve seen gobblers strutting in fields. Two weeks ago I was deer hunting a ranch in Polk City and had three longbeards gobble and strut a mere 60 yards from the box blind. It was almost too much for my emotions to control. A couple people who took advantage of the Youth Hunt this last… Read More »

About This Blog

Ian Nance is a lifelong resident of Central Florida with a passion for hunting and just about anything related. Associate Member of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. Check back weekly for hunting stories, news, tips, and wild game recipes. Feel free to leave comments or e-mail topics you would like to see addressed here. Contact at inance880@aol.com or follow on Twitter @good_hunt